Sachse man accused in Cleburne child enticement case

Dennis Eugene Stephens, 51, of Sachse is accused of trying to entice a girl to leave a Cleburne Walmart with him on Jan. 2.
Dallas County jail

A 51-year-old Sachse man was in a Dallas County jail Thursday, accused of trying to get a 10-year-old girl to leave a Cleburne Walmart with him, police reported.

Walmart security personnel called Cleburne police to report that a man had approached a girl in the store on Jan. 2 and offered her money if she would leave the store and go to his vehicle, according to a news release.

Stephens also told the child she could win an iPad, the release said.

A few days later, Walmart personnel contacted a detective to say that the suspect was in the story again. Police questioned Dennis Eugene Stephens and released him.

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Later, Cleburne police learned that Plano detectives were investigating a 2013 case in which a man approached a 9-year-old girl inside a Fiesta store, offered her money and touched her inappropriately.

“Plano PD had exhausted all leads in their case, until they were told about Dennis Stephens,” the news release said.

Stephens was arrested by Sachse police Jan. 8 on a warrant from Johnson County, accusing him of trying to entice a child. His bail was set at $150,000.

Plano police also issued a warrant accusing him of indecency with a child. Bail in the Plano case was set at $125,000.

Cleburne police ask the public to contact their local police department if they have information regarding a similar incident. — Monica S. Nagy